"Tell me about yourself" - that dreaded question!

What to do when someone asks "Tell me about yourself"

Paint a picture

"This is your chance to give a brief overview of what you’ve been upto and what motivates you. The interview process is where you’ll have the chance to answer questions about your skills and experience, this question is used to paint a picture of who you are."

Here's a good example

“I’ve been recruiting for public and not for profit marketing roles for the past 10 years. I love working in this sector as I have a real passion for helping charities develop their business. I’m really focused on building great relationships and get a real buzz out of matching up my clients with great talent.”

"This answer has given the interviewer some insight into what you do, what drives you and how that relates to the job you're interviewing for, but without launching into a long winded summary that’s going to send people to sleep. It helps build rapport, opens up the conversation and lets your interviewer move onto the next step."

And remember, for any interview…

Make sure you do your research beforehand, not only on the company but also your interviewer. Check out their LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook profiles.

Try to find out the dress code of the organisation you’re interviewing at, if it’s a creative agency where the staff dress casual you don’t want to turn up suited and booted.

Come with your own questions for the interviewer, not only will this impress them and show your interest in the role, but it will also make the decision making process easier for you should you receive an offer.

Plan your journey in advance, being late for an interview even by a few minutes is the ultimate sin and could well be a big factor in the decision making process for your prospective employer.